In front of more than 3,000 fans at Jeld-Wen Field, eight-year-old Atticus achieved his dream of playing with the Portland Timbers, and scored four goals in a match-winning performance to boot.

Atticus and his Green Machine team took down the Timbers, 10-9, on Wednesday afternoon in a friendly match, with the Portland native scoring the game-winning goal just before time expired. Darlington Nagbe, Jack Jewsbury, Mikael Silvestre and captain Will Johnson all featured for the Timbers in a losing effort.

Last fall, Atticus was diagnosed with cancer and due to his treatments, he had to miss the final game of Green Machine’s season. When Make-A-Wish-Oregon became involved, they granted Atticus a wish. Instead of asking for money or toys, the eight-year-old asked for a match against his favorite team, Portland Timbers.

I am very much not a Nebraska Cornhusker fan, but they did something similar. They let an 8 year old cancer patient who loved Nebraska football score a 69 touchdown during the spring game. Make a Wish really is a cool organization, and its great that sports teams are helping kids dreams come true

I like it very much, it is nice to bring joy to a kid especially coming from his favorite team. That Johnson red card was well deserved. LOL. Thank Ives for bringing a nice article and Well done Timbers Organization and I hope all team in the MLS follow this with their youth(Fans)

Everyone involved left nothing undone. As the pics and video show, it was as close as a kid could get to the real deal. The Green Machine even warmed up exactly as the Timbers do down in the corner with sprints and dribbling drills under coach’s supervision. Loved how the Timbers players played it up with mock slide tackles, hands-to-face after missing easy shots or getting scored on, and complaining to the refs. Log slices, smoke, chants, flags, post-game jersey trading and media interviews. It was simply wonderful. Certainly a match and an experience never to be forgotten, and a reminder that it’s really not that hard to take care of each other. So many thanks to those who made it happen.

The most fun I have ever had on my lunch hour. It was actually a blast to chant against our own players and have them become pantomine villains and they did it perfectly.

One thing that’s overlooked is that while this was a day for Atticus, the little guy choose something for his whole team and they all had amazing grins on their faces after the match. The Timbers Army gave each player his own banner and scarf from the pre-game tifo and Atticus was really mindful to make sure they all got a chance to carry his log slice around in front of the fans.

Kudos to the Timbers! And kudos to the Timbers Army for showing up and making the game feel like a big deal for the kids!! The Green Machine will always remember playing against the real Timbers player, but the part that will make it most memorable is having the fans cheering them on.

I wasn’t going to post because I am just echoing what many have said, but it deserves to be said that the players and staff and fans did brilliantly to put this match on. I teared up before I even started the video.

I loved the smiles and the atmosphere in the stands — it was like a street party with friends, strangers, and of course the teams and staff.

One moment that won’t make it into the write-ups: Jake Gleeson (Timbers GK) entered the game as a field player. After a particularly wobbly pass, The Timbers Atticus’s Army took up a “dodgy keeper!” chant, rendering Jake almost paralytic with laughter. The mock-fouls, the almost-tackles, and the yellow and red cards were played beautifully and I’m sure it was a day the kids will never forget.

Cheers to everyone involved from Make-a-Wish, the Timbers, the Army (by any other name), and those random soccer-mad denizens of Portland who came out to make this such an incredible event. I couldn’t be prouder to live in Soccer City. RCTID

What a wonderful, uplifting thing. Humanity has such amazing potential. If only we went into all of our interactions with such compassion and noble dignity. Both teams won big today. Go, Green Machine. Go, Timbers.

I was hoping the Timbers would give log slices to the kids if they scored, and when I went in and took a position right next to Timber Joey’s log, I noticed immediately that it was a much smaller log than is normally used for Timbers’ games. Only one slice was taken off, but it was still wicked cool that they went with a more kid-friendly size.

Next, mad props to the two Green Machine players who choreographed a goal celebration. Oscar Oeding scored a second half goal and had a teammate kneel down for a classic shoe-shine. It was *outstanding.* Wish it made the highlight reel.

It was really, fantastically cool that brand new kits (complete kits, right down to the socks, I believe) and brand new adidas boots were given to each kid. The Timbers set up the locker room as though for a professional team with the new gear. Each kid also got a scarf from the team *and* a scarf from the TA.

So so so proud to be Timbers supporter today. Thank you so much for perpetuating a story that needs to be seen by as many people as possible. I keep tearing up as it crosses my mind during my work day. Thank you Timbers FO. Thank you TA. Thank you Atticus for helping us remember the important bits!

Really great of the Timbers organization to really go above and beyond for Atticus! So awesome that so many people in the community showed up for the match. Thumbs up all the way around. I hope that the other teams around the league and beyond are paying attention — the bar has just been raised.

3K, during the middle of the day, on a Tuesday with a rocking atmosphere to boot. Chivas must be jealous!!

Seriously, there’s not much that I can say that hasn’t already been said. It just brings joy to my heart seeing a young boy who’s battling a scary, scary disease with a HUGE smile on his face putting all his troubles aside. I’m glad soccer is his avenue and it will continue to be his outlet for the rest of his life.

What do you expect from a kid with the same name as one of the best literary characters in American fiction. Well done Atticus and the Timbers. Porter well on his way to coach of the year coaching 8 yr olds to victory v an MLS side.